It appears the Master of Bible Questions answered has spit out a gnat on a tobacco leaf and swallowed a whole camel. OUCH. Thats gotta hurt! :coocoo:
Since I have already stated that I [Coconut] am a smoker; and the writer has judged me as a "godly sinner" I am obligated to respond to his summation.
Lets attempt to rightly divide the truth :
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When Paul says "Everything is permissible for me - but I will not be mastered by anything", it should not be viewed as a command. He uses the personal pronouns "me" and "I" in a statement refering to his own spiritual life. Paul had made a personal choice. Nowhere in this passage does he say it is a command for all the churches to avoid addictions ie. coffee. On the contrary, one could easily say that Paul is stating that he would smoke or drink coffee (as examples) if he wanted to by boldly using the phrase "Everything is permissible.."
So we can get the full context of his views (as well as the Lord's commands) on the subject, let's consider other passages:
Col 2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
Col 2:21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
Col 2:22 Which all are to perish with the using
after the commandments and doctrines of men?
And from the Lord's mouth:
Mat 15:10 Then calling out to the crowd, he addressed them, "Listen and understand!
Mat 15:11 It is not what goes into the mouth that makes a person unclean. It is what comes out of the mouth that makes a person unclean."
What are you sayin to young people
Cos I'm saved ---
In light of the earlier quote, it is irrelevant whether or not cigarettes, or coffee etc are "beneficial" when Paul makes such a strong claim to all things being permissable, regardless of whether they have any benefit.
To say, 1 Corinthians 6:20 is a reference to base acts such as smoking is completely missing the context. A broader look reveals his motive for saying it in the first place:
1Co 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Again, the context of "glorify God in your body" is not in reference to a command about rudimentary actions like smoking, or using the bathroom (to put it bluntly). Rather, it's clearly a command to honor God by not fornicating (a sin against the body).
Can a person honestly eat junk food "for the glory of God"? It sounds silly. But by using this flawed logic we create more problems than solutions. Should we only consume things that are healthy, and therefore not defile the temple of God? It is irrelevant because as Jesus our Teacher said, these things do not make us unclean.
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In response to the statement "While this is true, how does that make smoking right?". Well, how does it make smoking wrong? Thousands of Christians have their daily cup of java, and eat cheeseburgers at Mcdonalds and see no harm or defilement in it. And yet, they are addicted to their base cravings. And, similiar to smoking, these actions neither glorify or de-glorify God. If the counter-argument were to be that you can thank God for food, or coffee beans I would have to add that thanking God for tobacco (which he created) is just as acceptable.
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Spurgeon may have been condemned by some for smoking. But he himself held a pure concscience when doing it, and therefore did not sin.
1Jn_3:21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in the presence of God.
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Yes, there are many believers who smoke and it does not prevent people from accepting the grace of the Gospel. But I would go even further and say that it is not a sin either. Unless, of course you believe it is, then it is for you - having your conscience condemned.
Rom_14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Col 2:16 Therefore, let no one judge you in matters of food and drink or with respect to a festival, a New Moon, or Sabbath days.
Col 2:17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the reality belongs to the Messiah
Col 2:20 If you have died with the Messiah to the basic principles of the world, why are you submitting to its decrees as though you still lived in the world?
Col 2:21 "Don't handle this! Don't taste or touch that!"
Col 2:22 All of these things will be destroyed as they are used, because they are based on HUMAN commands and teachings.
Col 2:23 These things have the APPEARANCE of wisdom in promoting self-made religion, humility, and harsh treatment of the body, but they have NO VALUE against self-indulgence.
My own excellent summation is" I [Coconut] am pure in heart. I will not be judged as, or condemned with sinners. Amen. All glory to God.
